Monmouth freeholders approve open space grants

FREEHOLD - The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders has approved grants totaling nearly $2 million from the 2006 Monmouth County Open Space Trust Fund to acquire, create or improve park facilities in 14 municipalities.

According to a press release, land acquisition and development for park recreation and open space purposes are made possible by the Monmouth County Municipal Open Space Grant Program, a competitive matching funds program for municipalities sponsored by the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders and administered by the Monmouth County Park System.

"This program enables municipalities to preserve valuable open space and acquire and build parkland by sharing the costs with the county," said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the county's park system.

"Both land acquisition and development for park, recreation and open space purposes are eligible. This is a valuable tool to help municipalities provide recreation," Burry said.

All of the county's 53 municipalities were eligible to apply for funding awards. Officials in 24 towns made requests seeking a total of $2.7 million.

The freeholders approved the grant awards at its Dec. 14 meeting. Burry noted that this year, six more towns participated in the grant awards program than participated last year. This is the fourth year of the program.

Maximum $250,000 grants were awarded to the following five munici-palities:

+ Spring Lake Heights, for the acquisition of a 2.55-acre parcel to expand an existing park and municipal complex.

+ Ocean Township, for the acquisition of the remaining 21.26 acres of the Colonial Terrace Golf Course.

+ Neptune Township, for the acquisition of 4.4 acres of waterfront property.

+ Upper Freehold Township, for the acquisition of a 9.6-acre park for recreation.

+ Millstone Township, for the acquisition of 148 acres of the Lee Farm for recreation.

Nine other municipalities were granted funding awards, in the amounts requested:

+ Neptune City, $49,000 for Phase 2 of a project to rehabilitate and expand Adams Field Park.

+ Keyport, $60,000 for the rehabilitation and expansion of Therese Avenue Park.

+ Howell, $62,000 for the development of a 23-acre park in the Free-wood Acres section of the township.

+ Oceanport, $75,000 for Phase 2 expansion of Old Wharf Park, adding a dock and boat launch.

+ Freehold Township, $81,000 for the expansion of Opatut and Stone-hurst parks, and the rehabilitation of Wynnefield Park.

+ Wall Township, $50,000 for the acquisition of an historic blacksmith shop.

+ Tinton Falls, $208,000 for construction of a multi-purpose recreation building on 29-acre Liberty Park II.

+ Atlantic Highlands, $50,000 for development of 1.77-acre Habor Skate Park.

+ Keansburg, $85,000 for the acquisition of waterfront property adjacent to Waterfront Park.

Applications for the 2007 Mon-mouth County Municipal Open Space Grant Program will be available on or about May 1. The filing deadline will be in September, according to the press release.